It’s become a bit of a fashion for mothers to workout with their lovely babies and then post smiling pictures of themselves on social media. Clearly mother-toddler yoga is a social media phenomenon. But is it any more than a social media fad? Do I, as a yogi, recommend it?
Mother-toddler yoga
Simply put mother-toddler is yoga that mothers do along with their little children – or of course, father-toddler or parent-child yoga. Not only do the little ones perform aasans that are suitable for their age, the parent can create resistance and increase difficulty levels by holding or raising the child while doing various aasans. I feel that there are a lot of reasons this is a good thing: kids start out with yoga early in their lives and may end up making it a healthy, lifelong habit. It is excellent bonding time for the parent and child as well – quality time spent together. So, if one is in for deriving genuine benefit; beyond some social media fad, mother-toddler yoga is a great idea.
Yoga can help a child learn to be calm and still from an early age; a good way to harness inner energy. Yoga has obvious health benefits for everyone; no matter what their age. It can also help improve the motor skills of a young child. As I always say however, try not to self-instruct. Ensure that you receive training from an expert so that you don’t end up straining or hurting yourself or your child.
Some mother-toddler yoga poses to get started
Kids are learning about animals at the preschool age, so it’s a good idea to engage them in yoga positions that mimic the animals they are familiar with. These are simple poses which kids can perform without any risk of falling or injury. Plus, they will have a fun time with the downward dog pose, cat-cow pose, frog pose and so on. Kids can also be taught to do some breathing exercises; mindful breathing is a great thing to learn early on in life.
It is also possible to raise the difficulty level of your own yoga workout by holding your child: you can do naukasan or the boat pose, by having your child rest on your legs, so that when you raise your legs there is much more resistance and a much harder workout. Similarly, the chair pose or the tree pose also become much more challenging as you hold your child while doing them. A pose such as balasan or child pose also becomes much more challenging with your child on your back.
So yes, mother toddler yoga is an excellent idea and very beneficial for both mother and child. However, I must reiterate that it is best not to do this without proper supervision. It is also important not to try poses that seem too difficult or painful or those which are beyond one’s own capability. So long as you’re realistic about mother-toddler yoga, I say go ahead and enjoy yourself!